“She really ought to get away from him,” resumed Catherine to me. “They’ve been living over that garage for eleven years. And tom’s the first sweetie she ever had.”

Mrs.Wilson is escaping away from her husband.The fact that Catherine mentioned that they’ve been living in the garage for 11 years,explains how poor her husband is.Therefore,that’s why she decided to be with Tom because he’s rich,and he can be there to provide for her unlike her husband.